Modulation of cytokine expression in human macrophages by endocrine-disrupting chemical Bisphenol-A

Exposure to environmental endocrine-disrupting chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA) is often associated with dysregulated immune homeostasis, but the mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, the effects of BPA on the cytokines responses of human macrophages were investigated. Treatment with BPA increased pro-inflammation cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) production, but decreased anti-inflammation cytokines interleukin-10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) production in THP1 macrophages, as well as in primary human macrophages. BPA effected cytokines expression through estrogen receptor α/β (ERα/β)-dependent mechanism with the evidence of ERα/β antagonist reversed the expression of cytokines. We also identified that activation of extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK)/nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signal cascade marked the effects of BPA on cytokines expression. Our results indicated that BPA effected inflammatory responses of macrophages via modulating of cytokines expression, and provided a new insight into the link between exposure to BPA and human health.     

细菌素的合成与作用机制

细菌素是由细菌产生的抗菌蛋白,可以杀死与产生菌相近的细菌。很多乳酸菌产生不同多样性的细菌素,虽然这些细菌素都是由发酵或非发酵食品中发现的乳酸菌产生的,但是迄今只有乳酸链球菌素(Nisin)作为食品防腐剂被广泛应用。和抗生素不同的是,细菌素由核糖体合成,需经翻译后修饰活化并且通过特定转运系统输到胞外才能发挥其功能,它一般通过作用于靶细胞膜来抑制靶细胞的生长,同时本身合成细菌素的细胞对其产物具有免疫性。细菌素能安全有效地抑制病原体生长,在食品行业中具有广阔的应用前景。     

溴代阻燃剂微生物降解的研究进展

溴代阻燃剂以其优异的阻燃性能而在工业生产和日常生活中大量使用。这些外源性的化学物质因其蓄积性、持久性、生物毒性而对人类健康和生态环境造成威胁。微生物特有的降解代谢能力为溴代阻燃剂污染治理带来了希望。但是,目前有关溴代阻燃剂的微生物降解研究仍然很少。综述了国内外在溴代阻燃剂微生物降解方面的最新研究动态,包括厌氧、好氧和基团化等生物降解方式。在此基础上,提出目前溴代阻燃剂微生物降解研究中存在的主要问题和重点研究方向,并对其在溴代阻燃剂污染治理方面的应用潜力进行展望。     

厌氧氨氧化在污水处理中的研究进展

厌氧氨氧化(ANAMMOX)是指厌氧氨氧化细菌在厌氧条件下以亚硝酸盐为电子受体将氨氮氧化为氮气的过程。由于在节能降耗和环境友好上的独特优点,基于厌氧氨氧化原理的脱氮技术被公认是目前最具应用前景的生物脱氮技术,因此自发现以来一直是国内外研究的热点。综述近年有关厌氧氨氧化细菌、厌氧氨氧化机理、反应的影响因素及其在污水处理应用方面的研究进展,并展望厌氧氨氧化在污水处理领域的发展方向。     

表面张力曲线法测定生物表面活性剂的浓度

介绍一种利用表面张力曲线测定生物表面活性剂发酵液浓度的方法,通过测定不同浓度鼠李糖脂标准溶液的表面张力,制作浓度和表面张力的x-y散点图,再根据希斯科夫斯基经验公式利用Origin软件做x-y散点图的拟合曲线,得到该公式的相关参数,然后利用该经验公式,通过测定稀释后待测发酵液的表面张力,可求得原发酵液的鼠李糖脂浓度。和常用的方法相比,该方法具有快速、简单、准确和测定成本低的优点。     

A laccase exclusively expressed by Metarhizium anisopliae during isotropic growth is involved in pigmentation,tolerance to abiotic stresses and virulence

Insect pathogenic fungi including Metarhizium anisopliae offer an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical pesticides. However, their use has been limited by their relatively slow killing speed compared to chemicals and low tolerance to abiotic stresses. We report here on a class 1 laccase (MLAC1) that is involved in both virulence and tolerance to environmental stresses. Mlac1 is expressed during isotropic growth (swelling) but not during polarized growth (e.g., germ tubes and hyphae); Mlac1 is therefore expressed exclusively in the later stages of conidiation and in blastospores when M. anisopliae is living as a saprophyte. During infection processes, Mlac1 is also expressed by appressoria (infection structures) on the cuticle surface and hyphal bodies inside the insect haemocoel. Disrupting Mlac1 reduced virulence to caterpillars because of impaired appressoria and delayed post-infection events. It also produced a yellow-conidia phenotype with increased conidial susceptibility to heat shock (45 °C for 2 h) and UV-B stress. The relationship between M. anisopliae’s pigment-synthesis pathway and its adaptation to diverse natural habitats is discussed.     

微生物燃料电池在环境污染治理研究中的应用进展

近年来,微生物燃料电池(Microbial fuel cells,MFCs)研究得到了迅速发展。由于可以将可生物降解有机物的化学能直接转化为电能,MFCs在环境污染治理及生物产电方面具有良好的应用前景。本文将全面介绍和总结MFCs在环境污染治理中的研究及应用,其中包括脱氮、脱硫、有机污染物降解、重金属污染治理以及垃圾渗滤液处理等方面。此外,本文还提出MFCs在研究及应用过程中存在的主要问题,并对其研究前景进行展望。     

栎金钱菌活性提取物抗衰老研究

用栎金钱菌活性提取物灌胃衰老模型小鼠,观察其对小鼠血清SOD活性、肝组织MDA和脂褐素的含量、脾指数、胸腺指数和肾指数的影响。结果表明,栎金钱菌活性提取物能使雄性小鼠血清SOD活性提高40.16%,肝MDA含量减少47.12%,肝脂褐素含量减少89.48%,脾指数增加35.13%,胸腺指数增加48.92%,肾指数增加11.26%,表明栎金钱菌活性提取物具有良好的抗衰老作用。栎金钱菌活性提取物800mg/kg·d的剂量具有最好的抗衰老效果,且具有性别的差异,对雄性小鼠的抗衰老作用略优于对雌性小鼠的。     

丛枝菌根真菌伴生细菌的研究进展

在丛枝菌根真菌（Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,AMF）的孢子、菌丝的表面或内部栖息着细菌,称之为AMF伴生细菌。AMF伴生细菌种类多样、分布广泛,生态位点包括孢子壁的表面或内部、细胞质、菌丝、孢子果等。其可能的生物学意义包括影响AMF孢子萌发、菌丝生长、菌根形成等过程。由于伴生细菌与AMF联系紧密,其对AMF和土壤微生物生态学具有重要的意义。国际上在该领域的研究已有30多年的历史,就其研究进展进行综述。